Blinks in Time
by Herenya902
Summary: A collection of very short one shots set in the Flash universe.
1. See-through

I walked out of Iron Heights with a smile on my face for the first time. Joe gave me a strange look, but he didn't ask. Maybe he thought I was happy to see Captain Cold behind bars, which I was. That wasn't the reason why a small smile had crossed my face though. I smiled because I had spied through a crack and discovered something wonderful.

I've always had a feeling that somewhere, maybe very deep down, Leonard Snart was a good guy. Today proved that fact. He denied it of course, but only someone with good inside of them would act the way he did tonight. That wasn't to say that Leonard hadn't done some very bad things. He had. Yet I could see more in him.

He had kept his word and never revealed my identity to anyone, not even his own sister. At Fenris Air he had betrayed me, but he had also saved my life. He controlled his Rogues. They no longer killed people. Doing these kinds of things had to be dangerous. If people thought that Captain Cold was going soft, he could become a target.

I'm under no illusions. I know that Leonard Snart won't ever stop being a thief. It's who he is, but today I saw more of him. I know that he has good in him. All he needs is a little nudge.

My smile grew and I let out a merry little whistle before running off. As I zipped around the city I thought about all of the times when Leonard had hesitated when fighting me. All the times he had spared the people around him. I couldn't help but see the good. Joe might not believe that leopards can change their spots, but I have hope. Someday, Leonard Snart will become the hero that I see inside of him. A hero with sticky fingers and his own agenda, but a hero nonetheless.


	2. Rogue Love

" _Celene... " Leonard Snart's voice was quiet, begging the woman standing across from him. Her face, lit by the dim light of his apartment, was sad. There were black tear-streaks running down from her eyes due to her mascara. Her hair was disheveled and her green eyes looked broken, almost. The sight pulled at his heartstrings. "I'm so sorry. Please… don't go." he whispered, taking a small step towards her._

 _Celene smiled softly, and it broke Leonard's heart all over again. "I know, Lenny. I know you are." For a brief moment he was filled with hope, until she continued. "But I can't stay. Not with the way you are." Leonard bowed his head as her words condemned him. "I can't live with a criminal, never knowing when you'll come back, if you'll come back. I can't live with the thought of you being killed during a job and never knowing. It's tearing me apart!" Her tears had started anew. Leonard reached out to brush them away, but froze, his hand still in the air._

" _I'll stop, then." he said desperately. He knew the pain that it would cause him, but he would. "I love you, Celene." And he did. He would do anything for her, even give up his criminal life._

 _Celene shook her head, no longer crying. "I know you do. I know that you would give it up. That's why I have to leave." she paused and stared into his eyes. In her green orbs, Leonard saw love for him. "I've seen the way you are when you're planning a heist. I can hear the joy, that you try so hard to hide, in your voice when you tell me about your latest job. I know the love that you have for your life. I can't ask you to give that up." Her words startled him. He didn't expect her, an honest, hard-working woman, to understand the passion he had for his criminal way of life._

" _I would give it up for you." he stated again, trying to get her to understand how important she was to him. More important than the life that he lived._

 _She took his hands, which had fallen to his sides, in hers. "I know, but you wouldn't be the same. This life, it's part of who you are. If I asked you to leave it, you would be miserable. I can't let you be that way. I love you, Leonard." her voice was so soft and gentle, but her words still left him feeling hollow. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I knew that you would be happier without me." She raised her hand to forestall his protests. "One day, you will find someone who can withstand this life, someone you can be truly happy with. I'm sorry that I can't be that person for you." Celene stood on her toes and kissed him gently. A few tears escaped his eyes as she pulled away. "Stay safe, Leonard." she whispered to him before slipping out the door and into the night._

That night, so many years ago, would be forever etched in his mind. It was the first time he had ever been truly in love. After Celene had left, he had turned to thieving to distract him from the pain. The pain of knowing that she was right. A criminal was who he was, trying to change would have left him so broken that even her love wouldn't have been able to fix him. It had been hard to accept and he had closed himself off to the possibility of anyone ever being able to love him and the life he led.

A sleepy, concerned voice roused him from his thoughts. "Are you okay, Len?"

A small, but real, smile snuck onto his face as he turned to the love his life and wrapped his arms around them. "I am now."

"You sure?"

"I'm with you." he responded simply. He had finally found someone who accepted the way he was and the life that he had to live. How couldn't he be okay?

"I love you, Len."

"I love you too. Now go back to sleep." He had barely gotten the words out, before his love's breathing became slow and regular. Leonard smiled again and whispered "I love you." in their ear once more before falling asleep.


	3. A New Year

It's a new year. A new beginning. A chance to do something, be something, more than before. A chance to grow. To change.

I have done extraordinary things in the past year. I have traveled through time only to find that the past shouldn't be changed. I have traveled to the future and seen things that I wish I could unsee. I have defeated some of my worst enemies and made friends out of others. I've some broken trusts and restored others. I have grown stronger. Faster. Smarter. And yet I can still do better.

This year I will face some of my greatest challenges. I see darkness and face my fears. And I will come out on top. I will win. Not because I'm the biggest or the best. Not because I have the newest tech or the better suit. No. I will win because I am fighting for what is right. I will win because I have people at my back who believe in me. Who support me. Who love me. I will win because I will fight.

This year won't be easy. I'm the Flash. Nothing is easy. That won't stop me though. I have learned from last year. I have made mistakes, terrible ones, but they have shown me how I can grow even more.

This New Year's, as I stand surrounded by my friends and family, I promise to become MORE. I promise to become the person that people see when they look at the Flash. I promise to become worthy of their praise.

I promise these things, not because it will make me popular or powerful, but because I owe it to the people I have lost in the last year due to my choices. My failures. I owe this to them. I will be the person Central City, and the world, needs me to be. I am Barry Allen. I am the Flash. And this is my promise.


	4. Determined

Barry Allen ran. He ran and he ran and he ran. Every time he ran, he got faster. Not by much, but he was faster. That speed made all of it worth it. The long nights and early mornings spent running. Followed by long days of work, both as the Flash and Barry Allen. The speed was all that mattered.

He had to be faster. No matter what new villain he faced, he always had to go faster. He was constantly being pushed to the edge of his limits by new and more powerful foes. And now with the god of speed after him... he was determined to get faster.

Caitlin and Cisco would come in from time to time to check on him. Caitlin would worry over how long he'd been training, and make him stop and eat. Cisco would just stand there and watch him run for awhile before shaking his head and going back to whatever he was doing. He might not mention it much anymore, but Barry knew that Cisco was still proud of the treadmill he had built for Barry to run on.

Once they left Barry would slow down, because just like always, he would have unconsciously pushed himself to go faster while they were watching. He couldn't let them think he wasn't training his hardest. After all, they were the people he was training to protect. Them, Wally, Joe, Iris, and all of the innocent lives in Central City were counting on him to be greater, be _faster_.

That was why Barry was determined to get faster, no matter what. People were counting on him, and he was not going to let them down. He had made a promise, and he was going to do _everything_ in his power to keep it.


	5. Next Door

Mark woke up in the middle of the night, groaning in annoyance. His next door neighbor was at it again. It seemed that almost every night that guy, what was his name… Barry Allen? Anyway, every night he seemed to rush out of his apartment during the most ungodly hours of the night. And his door slammed every. Single. Time.

Mark was a light sleeper, a trait he was beginning to despise. The thin walls of the cheap apartment complex didn't really help matters either. He could hear every noise that his neighbor made next door.

The guy wasn't home much. Mark thought he remembered something about him working for the police department, which would explain the long hours.

When his neighbor was home, he was home alone. He never had people over or threw parties, something Mark was grateful for. The kid was a millennial, and their parties were always loud. The lack of company made Mark think that his neighbor spent a lot of time with people away from the apartment. That was something else that could explain the blasting out of the apartment in the middle of the night.

These were thoughts that Mark had had before. Every time he would wake up in the middle of the night he would wonder about his neighbor. He had made up a hundred different lives and reasons for the kid.

He was just beginning to fall back to sleep when a door slammed. Mark groaned loudly and covered his ears with his pillow. He couldn't wait until this kid moved away. Hopefully his next neighbor wouldn't have such nocturnal habits.


	6. Family

Rubbing his aching side, Barry Allen wondered, not for the first time, why it was that he put himself into these dangerous situations. He could have been killed, as his family had reminded him sternly many times. And that was just it. Family. They were the reason that he ran out and risked his life. He risked his to make theirs a better one because that what families did. He lay on the bed in the med bay and thought of all of his family.

His mother. Even though she had died when he was young, Nora Allen continued to impact his life everyday. She had always encouraged him to be brave and stand up for what he knew to be right. Her gentle voice had been the one to put him to sleep at night when he was scared of the dark. Hers was the voice that spoke in his mind when he had to discern right from wrong. She was the reason he believed. In himself. In his family. In the world.

His father. Henry Allen had never been the typical father, especially after he had been locked in Iron Heights for a murder he didn't commit. Yet he had always been there for Barry. He had supported him as a kid, being bullied at school. He had also supported him as an adult, both as a C.S.I. and as the Flash. He had always been proud of him, even when he made mistakes. Barry's father was where he got his selflessness from. Henry had wanted Barry to change his name so that kids wouldn't know that he was his father. He had tried to discourage Barry from giving up the life he had in order to save Nora and free him from prison. His love could be felt even after his death.

His guardian. Joe West was the person who had taught Barry to become a man. He had raised him, a scared and lonely boy, to become a brave and friendly man. He had taught him how to act. How to be proud of who he was. How to shave, and dress, and drive. He had taken him to school and to his first dates. He had prepared him for the world and insured that when the time came, he knew how to be the hero that he needed to be.

His brother. Wally gave him a reason to pause and think. Having him watching made Barry realize when he was being to reckless. It made him feel a little bit of what his family felt every time he ran out into the fray. Wally helped to show him that he was not the only one who could fight the fight. Wally helped him know that he didn't have to fight alone.

His sister, his best friend, his true love. Iris. She was the person who kept his heart beating every day. Even before he had become the Flash she had supported him and his crazy ideas. She had been there for him as a friend through the thick and the thin. Once he became the Flash, she was the one that gave him the strength to run. Even when she hadn't known who he was. She had fought for him, fought for the Flash. She had tried to make people see him as a hero. Once she found out that he was the Flash, she supported him more than ever. She was the one who talked him out of his reckless plans, who calmed him down enough to see the truth. She was the one who led the way when he was blind. She was the one who brought him back when he was lost. She was the one who helped him stay in the light as the hero that she saw in him.

They were his family. They loved him. They supported him. They lectured him and yelled at him. They fought and cried for him. They laughed with, and at, him. They were the reason that he ran. They were the reason that he was able to be the hero that Central City needed. No matter what, they would always be his family.


	7. Anytime

Electricity flashed in his eyes as he put on a large burst of speed. A laugh of pure joy bubbled from him as he did. Barry loved to run. He always had, but before he had been struck by the dark matter charged lightning bolt, he had been slow, even for a normal person. Now he was fast, faster than almost anything. He loved it.

The power that gave him his power, the speed force, coursed through him with every heartbeat. Having so much power within him, and knowing what he could do with it was intoxicating. With the speed force, he could do anything, go anywhere at any time in history.

All it would take was just a little more speed and he could be in the middle of the Battle of Gettysburg. He could be at the first Olympics or the building of the Great Wall of China. He could uncover secrets that history had forgotten, secrets that could change the world. And he could do so much more.

The idea that he could change the world, make it a better and safer place, called to him. It would be so easy… but he didn't. He didn't put on that extra speed, he didn't go back in time. He just kept running. He knew now that messing with time could cause more problems than it solved.

He sighed loudly, letting the temptation flow out of him in his breath. Then he changed direction and ran back towards S.T.A.R Labs. The place where he could work now, in the present, to make the world better. The place where he could fix his mistakes and make sure that they were never made again. A faint smile danced on his lips as he greeted Cisco and Caitlin and they started planning for how to stop these new metahumans. The speed force may be able to take him anywhere he wanted, but he had already found the place that he was needed right here, and right now.


	8. Kindness

Smiles. It was nice to see smiles on people's faces after so much fear. Laughter, that was even more amazing. It was a fabulous sound that washed away a little bit of Barry's guilt every time he heard it. Despite the mistakes he had made, people could still be happy.

That was why he had started doing these random acts of kindness. The idea had actually come from Leonard Snart, even though he hadn't truly meant what he was saying. He had sarcastically mentioned one good deed washing away all of the bad ones. Barry had taken the idea to heart. He knew that one little kind thing wouldn't suddenly change the world, but hoped that over time his small acts could make a real difference.

What he did was simple. He would do it under the cover of darkness, often utilizing his speed to bring joy to a dozen people in one night. Sometimes it would be an old lady that needed groceries but was too weak to leave the house. Other times, it would be a little kid who had been bullied at school and needed to be told that he was important. He'd leave them a picture of a lightning bolt and write something encouraging on it. Sometimes people just needed some hope. They just needed to see him, racing in and out of buildings saving people and stopping bad guys.

At the end of the night, right before he would go to sleep, he would choose someone that he knew well and do something nice for them. One day it was Joe, who got a meeting with the DA, Cecile. Another time it was Wally, who got a new and improved pair of shoes that would allow him to be more stable when he ran. Caitlin got a small sign to hang in her room that said, "You are what you make yourself to be." Their faces the next day were always a little bit happier, their smiles a little bit happier.

It was a wonderful thing to see. People were happier. They forgot for just a few moments the craziness that they had been through and the pain that they had suffered. For a few seconds his small kindnesses were enough. Enough for people to believe that even though life was crazy, and was likely only going to get crazier, things were going to be okay.


	9. Don't Understand

He really hated that kid. Or at least, that's what he had been telling himself. He knew by now that that wasn't true, though. There were many things that Captain Cold hated. There were even more that he disliked. Strangely the person who had become his greatest opponent wasn't on either list.

The Flash was something of an enigma to Leonard Snart, and that bothered him. He always knew everything about everyone, but he couldn't figure out the Flash. Oh, he knew that the man under the mask was a young C.S.I. agent named Barry Allen. He knew that his mother had been murdered at an early age by something that no one could explain. He knew that the detective, Joe West, had taken him in and raised him like a son. He knew that Barry liked, no loved, Joe's daughter, a young reporter named Iris. He knew all of these things and so much more, yet he still felt as if he didn't know who the Flash really was.

In the beginning, Leonard had wanted to label him as a naive kid who thought he could save the world all by himself. He had thought that the kid would be killed by the hard truth of an ugly world too far gone to be saved. Then the Flash saved the world. He lost friends and family, but he kept pushing on. That was something that Leonard had gone through more times than he could count, minus the saving the world part, but he didn't think the kid was that strong.

Another thing that surprised him was the trust that Barry placed in others. He trusted people he had only known for a short while with his life, and yet it wasn't in a stupid kind of way. He didn't trust people because he was fooled by them. He trusted people because he truly believed in them, even when those people included Captain Cold and his gang of Rogues.

That belief, that hope, was something that Leonard just couldn't understand. Barry had told him, multiple times, that he was a good person, that he was a _hero_. He looked like he believed it too. He actually believed that he, Leonard Snart master thief, could be a good guy. Leonard could see it in his eyes every time that they fought. He could see a faint disappointment along with an ever shining hope. Leonard knew that that disappointment was always going to be there of course. After all, hero wasn't on his résumé.

He didn't hate Barry Allen. They were enemies, yes. They would always try to thwart each other at every turn, but Barry Allen was the reason that Leonard had upped his game. He was the reason that Captain Cold had been born. He was also a question, lots of questions actually, that needed to be answered. Leonard Snart grinned as he put his goggles on and grabbed his gun. It was a good night to rob a bank.


	10. Date Night

Tonight was going to be the best night that she had had in a long time. She just knew it. It was after all, her date night with none other than her boyfriend, Barry Allen, and nothing was going to ruin it! No villains were going to interrupt and no buildings were going to randomly catch on fire. Or at least, that's what she hoped. In reality, Iris was never sure when Barry would be whisked away to take care of Flash business. That was why she was going to enjoy every moment she had with him.

Iris sat on the couch, waiting for Barry to come and pick her up so that they could head to dinner at a surprise restaurant. He was running late, as always, but that was what she expected from him. He was rarely on time to anything. He had even been late to his own birthday party once! She smiled at the memory and settled back to wait.

About five minutes later, the front door opened to reveal Barry. He was dressed in a nice suit and tie, but his hair was a mess, as always. It still amazed Iris that Barry had all of the time in the world, but he didn't have time to do his hair. It was cute though and very distinctly Barry. Iris blinked, realizing that she had been staring at her wonderful boyfriend. Barry didn't say anything though. A glance at his awe-struck face told her that he had been doing the exact same thing to her.

"Iris," he gasped, "you look amazing." Iris laughed softly. She had done her best to look nice for tonight. It was a special occasion, so she had decided to wear a beautiful midnight blue dress that went to her feet and fitted her skin perfectly. Her hair was done and fell around her face perfectly. She was proud of the hair, it had taken forever to do.

"Thanks, Barry. You look good too." she replied as she took his arm and he led her out of the door. "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere as fancy as you." was his response and all of a sudden he had picked her up and he was running. She loved the feeling of air whipping past her face. All too soon they were at their destination. She let out a small gasp. "Is that a gasp of approval? It better be, it took forever to get reservations here." Barry said. For a moment all Iris could do was nod.

"How did you reserve a table here?" she asked. They were standing in front of the most famous restaurant she knew of. It was in Star City and served foreign foods and rare delicacies. It was always full.

"Oliver owed me one. He almost booked an entire room for us, but I told him that would be too much. Was I right?"

"Yes." Iris responded simply, and they went inside to be seated.

They sat and ordered food, Barry told her not to worry about the price because it was being billed to Oliver Queen. She got a few dishes with names neither of them could pronounce. When they arrived, she was surprised at how amazing everything tasted. Even the caviar was good.

She and Barry talked as they ate. They talked about completely random things and told stories and shared memories of their childhood. It was amazing. She would have loved it even if they had been in the cheapest place in the country because Barry made her feel so happy and carefree.

It was about an hour and a half later when Barry's phone went off. For awhile he ignored it and they continued to talk, but after the fourth time he answered and shot her an apologetic look. She couldn't hear what was being said on the other side, but she could tell that whatever it was, their date was over. Eventually Barry put down his phone and sighed. "That was Cisco. Apparently the Trickster just robbed a bank." he sighed again.

Iris looked at his sad eyes for a moment before putting a hand on his. "It's okay Barry. I understand. Go be a hero."

"Are you sure? I bet that the police could take care of it." he suggested, but she could tell that he didn't believe that.

"I'm sure." she said and he nodded. In a few seconds they were back at the house.

Iris caught Barry's hand before he could race off and gave him a quick kiss. "I love you Barry Allen." she whispered softly against his lips.

"I love you too Iris West." he whispered back before he disappeared in a Flash. She smiled at the place where he had stood and knew that their love would endure.


	11. Escape

There is one thing that Captain Cold doesn't like cold, his showers. In fact, when he takes a shower the heat is turned all the way up and he loves it. The shower is also the only place where he doesn't count seconds. It's the place where time seems to stand still.

He'll walk into his bathroom, turn on some classical music, and jump in the shower. Immediately all of the cares and worries of the day seem to wash away down the drain. His cool facade goes with it, and he is left calm, but not unfeeling. It's wonderful.

The walls of his bathroom are soundproof. This means that the noise of whatever else is happening in his apartment, that he often shares with other members of his Rogue family, can't reach him. It was fabulous.

His shower was his alone time, and everyone knew it. Once, when he had just started to build his family of Rogues, one of them had tried to interrupt his shower. Apparently, he had just gotten back from a job, but his partner had been caught. He had forced his way in, because the walls were soundproof, and he couldn't get to Leonard. Snart hadn't let the man utter a word. He had reached around the curtain, grabbed his Cold Gun that lay on the counter next to him, and aimed it at the man. The man spun around and left without saying anything. Snart didn't remember who it was, but no one had ever tried to interrupt him again.

The peace that came with the shower always ended, of course. The second he had stepped out from under the constant stream of steaming water, seconds began to count and problems were real. The instant he opened the door, the sounds of his Rogues arguing and complaining bombarded his ears. He faced it all with his characteristic coolness, but somewhere in the back of his mind, he looked forward to his next chance to escape.


	12. One Look

One look. That was all it had taken for his willpower to crumble. Cisco liked to think of himself as strong, if not physically then at least mentally. It was true that he was smart, but his willpower was obviously lacking. After all, someone with strong willpower wouldn't have given into a mere fluttering of eyelashes. He had.

It was more than just the eyelashes, though. Cisco wasn't sure exactly what it was, but he could never tell her no. Even if Golden Glider was a criminal whose brother had kidnapped him. She was just too...Lisa.

He had been on his way back home from a night at the bar when he felt someone brush past him. A glance to the right was met with the mischievous face of none other than the Golden Glider. She had had a look in her eyes that he most definitely did not like. "No," he had said without giving her a chance to speak.

Lisa's gold painted lips turned down in a pout. "I haven't even asked for anything yet, Cisco."

"Don't. I'm not going to fall for it, not this time," he replied shortly and moved to push past her. She stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

"It's rude for a man to deny a woman his help," she stated with her arms crossed in front of her. "Please, Cisco? I just want a teensy little upgrade." She had fluttered those long lashes at him, and he gave in.

Now he had the Golden Gun in his hands and was trying to figure out a way to make the 'gold' that the gun fired look more sparkly. He was also trying to make the gun less dangerous in the process. He even thought about putting a tracer in the handle, but it was a half-hearted thought. As much as he said that he wanted Lisa and her brother behind bars, he knew it was a lie. The thought of Lisa cooped up in a prison with no freedom bothered him. The thought of Leonard behind bars didn't, but Cisco knew that Lisa wasn't as happy when her brother was locked up. And Cisco hated to see Lisa sad.

He shook his head to himself, wondering what the heck he had gotten himself into. He knew what he felt for Lisa, but it was just so cliche. A good guy falling for a bad girl? That kind of thing only happened in the movies. And in his very messed up life apparently. With a self-pitying sigh, he went back to work. A small grin crossed his face, though when he thought about how excited Lisa would be once he showed her the new features. What a pair they made.


	13. Too Easy

A smirk danced on the lips of Central City's favorite thief, the one, and only Captain Cold. He was standing in line to enter the large house of a man who had recently bought about a million dollars worth of ancient Egyptian paintings and statues. He was hosting an open viewing at his house tonight for all of the rich and famous. Snart had, of course, 'acquired' an invitation and was dressed just as sharply as anyone else there. He even had a fancy looking briefcase that hid his Cold Gun and shades, just in case.

As the line moved ever so slowly toward the entrance to the house, Snart thought about the planning that had gone into this mission. He hadn't heard about the collection until it was already on the move, so there hadn't been time to make a plan to get it on the road. That meant he had spent the two weeks leading up to the open house coming up with a perfect plan to ensure that he made it home tonight at least half a million dollars richer.

See the man who had bought the artifacts was about as far from smart as Len was from warm. He had bought small artifacts that could fit into small spaces and artwork that was painted on scrolls, which are meant to be rolled up. That was going to make Snart's job so much easier tonight. To top it all off there was a secret compartment shown in the blueprints that he had 'acquired' that he was sure held jewels and quite possibly gold. It was perfect.

When Snart reached the entrance of the building, the guards waved Snart through without even checking his briefcase. Amateurs. He mingled with the other guests and surveyed his marks. He had purposely chosen ones in rooms where the security was limited. That was another thing the man who owned this place had failed on, security. Leonard had been able to hack the computer that controlled the cameras a few days ago when he came by, posing as a maintenance man. With a push of the button hidden in the ring on one of his fingers, he could send the system a signal that basically told it that he wasn't there.

For awhile, Snart watched and listened to the people around him. Most of them were rich snobs who came to these kinds of things just to be seen. Others were actually interested in the collection itself and had been invited for their knowledge and appreciation. There were also a few that didn't seem to fall into either group. They would be the next generation of 'important' people. Snart listened to one such group of girls. "Ooo! Is that for Emy?" she half asked, half squealed, gesturing to something that a blonde girl standing next to her held. Their voices faded as they moved on to another room, and Snart shook his head inwardly. Talking about herself in the third person. That generation was insane.

Eventually, the time came when people began to drift home and he put his plan into action. He snuck over to a bathroom and stayed there for about an hour before exiting cautiously. The lights in all of the rooms were dimmed and he couldn't hear any footsteps. With a smirk, he pressed the button on his ring and began to sneak through the house, filling his briefcase with the small trinkets, careful to disable and avoid any alarms he found. It was all so easy. Another smirk, wider this time, crossed his face as he rolled up the last painting. Taking out his Cold Gun, he carefully froze a few bottles of expensive looking wine before making his exit through a nearby window that was poorly locked.

He dropped to the ground below silently in a crouch. His briefcase, heavy with his ill-gotten treasures, weighed in his hand as he began to stroll casually down the street, looking for all the world like a businessman who had had a very late night. That familiar tingle, the thrill of pulling off a job perfectly, rose within him and his smirk returned. He was the greatest thief this city had ever seen, but sometimes, people just made things too easy for him.


	14. Closed Doors

Leonard Snart grabbed the tool sitting next to his hand only to curse under his breath and put it back. It was the wrong screwdriver. Someone had touched his tools again. The screwdriver that he needed for his Cold Gun was undoubtedly in the closet with the other tools that he didn't keep out on his desk. Grumbling to himself, he walked over to the closet, leaving his gun on the table along with his phone.

He stepped into the small closet, which was large enough for him to turn comfortably in a circle, but not much more. The box he was looking for was towards the back, so he stepped even further into reach it. After digging for a minute or two, he found the screwdriver he was looking for.

Turning around to exit the small closet, he heard the air conditioner kick on with a violent sounding start. He really needed to get that replaced, but this was an old hideout that he rarely used anymore. Then he saw the door slam shut too quickly for him to stop it. He gave an annoyed sigh and turned the doorknob, except the knob didn't turn. He reached up and pulled on the string that dangled above his head, and a dim light filled the space. Looking at the knob, he saw that it had locked, and to his dismay, the mechanism had broken.

With a louder growl of irritation, he reached into his pocket to pull out his phone and text one of his Rogues to come free him when he remembered that his phone was sitting on the table, along with his Cold Gun and his knife. Snart let out a curse and resisted the urge to bang his head against the wall. _Cool it._ He told himself. It wouldn't be too long before one of his Rogues came by and let him out. He could wait.

One hour went by. Leonard Snart had started planning a new heist. He went over every detail and every map in his mind. Anything to get his mind off of the dim space where he sat that felt so much like the closet he had hidden in when he was young in vain attempts to escape his father's drunken rage.

Two hours went by. He had given up on planning. Now he was remembering his past. The terrible nights spent under his father's cruel hand and the beautiful flashes of freedom that he, Lisa, and Mick had shared when they could. His past was terrible, but it had made him into the man he was today, and that man happened to be very good at what he did. Unfortunately, that man was also stuck in a closet.

Three hours went by. The light had gone out by now, and the closet was almost completely dark, the only light came through the cracks around the door. Snart's inability to do anything was beginning to drive him mad. He couldn't get himself out of this dark closet just like he couldn't get himself or his sister out of this dark life that they led. Lisa was so bright, and she deserved better than this.

Four hours went by. Snart was starting to think about giving up the criminal way of life. It had never done him or anyone he loved any good. All it had ever brought him was pain. He should turn his back on it. He would.

Then he heard a sound outside the door. There was a loud crash and the sound of something metal hitting the floor and the door swung slowly open. Outside in the bright light stood a very confused looking Mick Rory. Snart stood quickly, the blood rushing back into his legs painfully. He ignored that and focused on the face of his partner.

"I need something to eat, and then we are going to go rob a bank." he declared and pushed past his fiery friend.

"You okay, Len?" Mick asked in his rough voice.

"Peachy. Grab your gun. By the time the others get back tonight, we are going to be half a million dollars richer." Snart replied.

"What happened to you?"

"I thought about life for awhile and came to the conclusion that having a bank so close by and not robbing it went against my moral code." Mick grinned in his crazy way and grabbed his gun and not an hour later the bank a few blocks away was much poorer and the two thieves were celebrating at a local bar. After all, there was no point in dwelling on the little things.


	15. Hated Love

A sigh escaped my lips as I watched him. It was stupid to do, watch him. All it did was leave my heart aching in my chest, but I couldn't help it. I watched his beautiful lips move as they formed words that I was too far away to actually hear. I did hear them, though, in my head, as he said them. I heard that perfect drawl of his and that sarcastic humor lurking behind the frigidness of his words.

He disappeared around a corner and I sighed again and sagged against the wall. I hadn't meant to stalk Leonard Snart, but I had been in the area doing something else when I heard _him._ I had followed the sound of his footsteps out of curiosity and found myself trapped by the powerful aura Leonard emitted.

It was a good thing that Leonard hadn't seen me. I would hate to see the look on his face if he caught me spying. I truly hadn't meant to, but I couldn't help myself. After all, who can control who they fall in love with? Love. It was a painful word attached to equally painful emotions. In the movies, love seems like such a happy thing. A thing full of joy and laughter. The movies lied.

Love for me isn't a happy thing. There is no laughter and joy. There is only pain and sadness. I love a criminal. A thief, a liar, and a murderer, all his own words. That wasn't the sad part. After all, criminals in movies can find love too. The reason that my love is only pain is because it is one sided. I love Leonard Snart but he does not love me back.

I don't blame him. How could I? He could have almost anyone he wanted, so why on earth would he choose me? It wouldn't make sense. That doesn't stop me from feeling hollow inside when I look at him. That doesn't stop my heart from feeling as if it can barely continue to beat whenever I think about what I cannot have. The pain doesn't stop, but the love doesn't either. I will never stop loving him, even if he will never love me back.


	16. Memories

Barry Allen walked over to the Corner Bakery one cool November night to buy Iris something as a surprise. He knew that Iris loved freshly baked bread, but she never got any growing up because Joe didn't bake and she was too busy nowadays to take the time to make it herself. Barry was looking forward to seeing the look on her face when he gave her the goodies he planned to buy.

When he stepped in the door of the bakery, he was transported back to his childhood. All of a sudden, he was nine years old and standing at his mother's side watching as she kneaded dough. The fabulous smell of baking bread gave Barry a bittersweet feeling in his heart. It reminded him so much of his mother.

He stepped up to get in line after standing in the doorway for a few seconds. The line was fairly long and wasn't moving very fast, so he hesitantly let his mind wander back to that kitchen with his mother those years ago. Barry remembered the time that his mother had let him knead the dough after he had begged her for what had seemed like ages. His hands had gotten covered in the sticky dough and felt really strange, but he had managed to knead the dough with his mother's help. He had watched as his mom stuck the dough in the bread pan and slid it into the oven. Together, they sat in front of the oven and watched the dough slowly rise and bake. Barry smiled fondly.

He reached the front of the line and ordered sweet bread and friendship bread, Iris's favorites. He was about to pay for them when he added one more, banana bread, his mother's favorite one to make. Barry left the bakery with his arms full of bread and his head full of memories.


End file.
